Cardinal to ordain 12 men deacons

Twelve will join archdiocese’s diaconate
community when Cardinal George ordains
them permanent deacons May 15
at Holy Name Cathedral.

The newly ordained deacons will have
completed a four-year program at the University
of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary
that included classes in theology, pastoral
ministry, spiritual formation and
communication and collaboration.

They are clergy, along with priests and
bishops. The ministries that deacons perform
include the teaching mission of the church,
caring for the poor, performing baptisms and
marriages, conducting funeral liturgies, presiding
at wake services and assisting the
priest at Mass by proclaiming the Gospel,
preaching, leading intercessions, preparing
the altar and intoning the dismissal.

The new deacons and their wives are:

John and Joan Baier, Immaculate Conception
Parish, Highland Park

John Baier, 64, is a physics teacher and
lives in Clarendon
Hills with his wife,
Joan. The couple has
a daughter, Brigid
Anne.

Following ordination,
Baier says he
plans “continued
work with liturgy, especially
liturgy of the
hours” and wants to
continue teaching classes on the Bible.

He said diaconate formation taught him the
value of the sacrament of marriage. It also
taught him how to minister to others and to
develop a “rich” spiritual life through the
sacraments and prayer.

Joan Baier said she enjoyed taking the
classes with the other couples.

“This has led to John and I having had
many wonderful experiences both together
and with others as we try to discern God’s
will for us,” she said.

Michael and Denise Ciciura, Ss. Cyril
and Methodius
Parish, Lemont.

Michael Ciciura,
41, works as a
branch manager for
an investment firm.

Following ordination,
Ciciura says he
will work with the
parish’s Rite of
Christian Initiation of Adults, marriage preparation
and other programs.

Denise Ciciura said the formation program
was a “great experience.”

“Being on this journey with my husband
has brought us closer and I know this journey
will continue to bring us happiness and our
faith will continue to grow,” she said.

Martin and Victoria Enciso, Good Shepherd
Parish, 2719 S. Kolin Ave.

Martin Enciso, 39, works as a production
manager. He and his
wife have four children:
Martin, 15,
Nicodemus, 14,
Noel, 11, and Maya,
9.

Following ordination,
Enciso says he
will work in youth
ministry at his parish.

Deacon formation
strengthened the Encisos’ marriage.

“My wife and I feel as if we were new to
our marriage. We have gotten to know each
other all over again,” he said.

His wife agreed.

“The love and respect for each other has increased
and as a result we have become closer
to each other,” Victoria Enciso said.

Bill and Jean Gibbons, St. Patrick
Parish, Wadsworth

Bill Gibbons, 51, is
a project manager for
a telecommunications
provider and
lives in Gurnee with
his wife, Jean. The
couple has two children:
Erin, 27 and
Megan, 23.

Following ordination
Gibbons says he
will continue his ministry at the Lake County
Jail in Waukegan and he will work with the
Light of the World evangelization retreat program
that began in 2006.

For Gibbons, the formation process helped
him discern a possible call to bereavement
ministry, brought he and his wife closer together
and helped him gain “a better understanding
of who I am as a man, husband and
father,” he said.

Joe and Carol Gonzalez, St Germaine
Parish, Oak Lawn

Joe Gonzalez, 54, works as an operations
manager and the couple has two children:
Adam, 16, and Amelia, 13.

Following ordination,
Gonzalez said
he will work to teach
the youth that church
is good, that God is
awesome and that
it’s OK to be the
‘good’ kid.”

Gonzalez said he
feels truly blessed to
be called to be a deacon.

“It has been an exciting time knowing that
in the end I will be able to serve our Lord,
and his people, as he has called me to,” he
said.

Carol Gonzalez said the other candidates
and their wives were an inspiration and support.
“This isn’t something that can be accomplished
alone,” she said.

Ivan Lazcano, St. Stephen Protomartyr
Parish, Des Plaines

Ivan Lazcano, 38, works as an accountant,
fundraiser and strategy
director.

Religious education
for children and
adults will be Lazcano’s
focus following
ordination.

A highlight of formation
for him was
the charity internship.
Lazcano said
this opportunity gave him a taste of what his
ministry as a deacon will be like and helped
him grow spiritually.

He said he enjoys leading retreats and missions,
“working for peace and justice among
immigrants and leading the youth to Christ.”

Mark and Judy Phelan, Most Holy Redeemer,
Evergreen Park

Mark Phelan, 52, is a carpenter and is a village
trustee for Evergreen
Park. He and
his wife, Judy, have
four children: Kelly,
19, twins Luke and
Meghan, 17, and
Jenny, 15.

Following ordination,
Phelan says he
looks forward to
serving the parishioners at Most Holy Redeemer through
liturgies and other ministries such as visits
to the homebound.

“I also hope to work with and assist the
poor and needy of the community, spreading
the Good News of Christ’s love for all
of us.”

Edward and Gail Podgorski, St. Monica
Parish, Foster and Nottingham

Edward Podgorski, 68, is retired from
pharmaceutical
sales and lives in
Niles with his
wife, Gail.

Following ordination,
Podgorski
says he will continue
with the bereavement
ministry
and begin doing
baptisms. The
highlight of his formation process was his
summer internships at Zacchaeus House
and at St. Sylvester Food Pantry.

“I have grown spiritually because of the
program,” he said. “With the help of God, I
hope to continue to grow in the love of God
so I can serve my neighbor as Jesus did.”

His wife, Gail Podgorski, agreed.

“I personally have grown closer to God
through this time and feel the joint commitment
necessary to complete this program
has strengthened our marriage,” she said.

Juan and Helen Ponce de León, St.
William Parish, 2558 N. Sayre

Juan Ponce de León, 59, works as a product
buyer for Insight Corporation.

The couple has two sons, Juan, 27, and
José, 23.

Ponce de León
says his goal following
ordination
is to service the
people of St.
William Parish and
assist the pastor.

For him, a highlight
of his deacon
formation was visiting
various parishes and witnessing the
different liturgical services.

Chuck Thompson, 49, teaches theology
at St. Ignatius College Prep. He and his
wife Amanda have
three children:
Maggie, 10, Hannah,
9, and Leo, 7.

Following ordination,
Thompson
plans to work with
adult sacramental
preparation and
faith formation in
his parish.

During his formation
process Thompson says he was “affirmed”
by the St. Mary of the Woods community.

“I will never forget their kind words of
love and support,” he said.

Joseph and Diane Yannotta, St. Edna
Parish, Arlington Heights

Joseph Yannotta, 64, lives in Buffalo
Grove with his wife. The couple has two
children: Carolyn, 38, and Alice, 36.

Yannotta says he
will serve the
parish’s human
concerns commission,
ministry of
care, peace and
justice and St.
Edna Outreach following
ordination.

“I feel that this
entire experience
has brought me closer to God and my family,”
he said. “The bond between my diaconate
candidate brothers has been a treasure
and something I will always hold close
to my heart.”

Diane Yannotta called the formation
process a “blessing.”

“I feel that I have grown in my spiritual
life and have enjoyed all of the opportunities
for learning,” she said. “Our family and
friends have given us so much love and
support.”

Gregory and Eileen Zeifert, St. Bede
Parish, Ingleside

Gregory Zeifert, 59, is a store manager
for an automotive parts chain and lives in
Antioch with his wife. The couple has three
children: Edward,
30, Ryan, 28, and
Michael, 26.

Zeifert says he
will continue his
role as co-coordinator
of the
parish’s ministry
of care and work
in baptism preparation.

A highlight of the formation process for
Zeifert was studying Scripture.

“Our professors in both the Old Testament
and New Testament classes brought
the Scripture into a whole new perspective,
which aroused my enthusiasm to read,
study, reflect and pray more and more on
God’s Word.”

Eileen Zeifert said the four years that her
husband has been in formation were “Spirit-
filled.”

“I have enjoyed watching Gregg grow
and mature in his ministry,” she said.